Three Cocktail Recipes That Use Leftover Cranberry Sauce

By JENNIFER COSSEYPhotography by MIKE DAVISThe holidays are upon us and that can only mean one thing -- leftovers. The turkey and stuffing are easily taken care of, but the cranberry sauce is another story. After the first few post-feast sandwiches, it eventually gets shoved to the back of the fridge, where it finds its final resting place. But there's another use for the tart-sweet preserves: cocktails. The cranberry is no stranger to spirits, after all. To get you started, we asked three of Portland's leading cocktail minds to create easy, not-too-fussy drinks using canned
cranberry sauce, but you can experiment with whatever mild-mannered version you have on hand.

The Transatlantic Cocktail

This simple drink, pictured above, has a gorgeous ruby color and richness on the palate, thanks to the jellied cranberry sauce. "It's a beautiful drink visually, has a great texture and balance of flavor," says Kyle Webster, bartender at St. Jack. "It conjures up Thanksgiving -- and the holiday season in general -- in a glass."

2 tablespoons jellied cranberry sauce

1 ounce silver rum (preferably aged)

1/2 ounce cognac (Webster recommends Hennessy VS)

1/2 ounce orange liqueur (Webster recommends Cointreau)

3/4 ounce fresh-squeezed lemon juice

1 bar spoon allspice dram (such as St. Elizabeth's; see note)

Ice

Garnish: lemon twist

Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake for 10 to15 seconds until cold. Strain through the large holes of the shaker into a cocktail
glass (but don't use a cocktail strainer or double strain, as the cranberry particles add texture). Garnish with a lemon twist.

Note: St. Elizabeth's Allspice Dram is a "pimento dram" -- a traditional rum-based liqueur flavored with allspice that's commonly used in tiki drinks. But its flavors of sweet baking spices make it a versatile ingredient in many autumnal cocktails, too. You can use it in mulled wine, or even add a little to apple-based desserts. Check the OLCC website for a list of stores that carry it.
-- Kyle Webster, St. Jack, Portland

Cranberry Jalapeno Margarita

Makes 1 serving

At Mint/820, owner-bartender Lucy Brennan offers two drinks that can be made spicy for heat seekers looking for a fix. "That's where I got the inspiration for this drink," she says, which can be made as spicy as
you like. "Plus it's accessible and easy to make as well as delicious."

2-1/2 ounces silver tequila

1/4 ounce orange liqueur (such as Cointreau)

1/2 ounce fresh-squeezed lemon juice

1/2 ounce fresh-squeezed lime juice

1 ounce simple syrup (see note)

Splash of cranberry juice

1/4 ounce to 1/2 ounce Cranberry-Jalapeno Puree (see note)

Ice

Garnish: lime slice

Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake for 10 to15 seconds until cold. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a slice of lime

Notes: To make simple syrup, combine equal parts sugar and water and heat until sugar is dissolved. Refrigerate until cold before using.

To make the Cranberry-Jalapeno Puree, combine 1 (14-ounce) can whole berry cranberry sauce and 1 jalapeno (cut in half, and half the seeds removed) in a blender. Puree, then strain before using.
-- Lucy Brennan, Mint/820, Portland

Black Wednesday (Cranberry Cocktail)

Forget shoppers and their "Black Friday" super sales. For bartenders,
the big night is "Black Wednesday," when all the college students are home for the holidays. "Black Wednesday is one of my favorite parts about the Thanksgiving season," says Beaker & Flask's Brandon Wise. "It's always a big night for bars and an opportunity to reunite with old
friends and family over a cocktail or two." This cocktail, with its whiskey, cranberry and sweet spices, is a great way to celebrate the season. "It reminds me of lazy turkey-filled days, enjoying the company of family and friends," Wise says.

1/4 ounce allspice dram (such as St. Elizabeth's; see note in The Transatlantic Cocktail)

1/4 ounce simple syrup (see note)

2 tablespoons cranberry sauce (jellied or whole-berry will work)

Ice

Garnish: whole cranberry, brandied cherry or cinnamon stick

Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake for 10 to 15 seconds until cold. Double strain (pour through a cocktail strainer as well as a fine-mesh sieve) into a highball glass filled with ice. Garnish with a cranberry, brandied cherry or cinnamon stick.

Note: To make simple syrup, combine equal parts sugar and water and heat until sugar is dissolved. Refrigerate until cold before using. -- Brandon Wise, Beaker & Flask, Portland